WEST Wisdom Blog

Discovering a career that you love sometimes takes a direct path. We’ve all read at least one story of someone who knew they wanted to work in a particular field from a very young age, spent their years pursuing that dream, and found success and happiness having achieved that dream. Unfortunately, 75% of people experience a quarter life crisis, questioning their career path, by the time they are 33. Additionally, Stanford Psychologist Laura Carstensen reveals that, based on her studies, the perfect age to start a career is around 40. According to one study, the average person will change careers 5-7 times throughout their lifetime. 

Topics: Leadership, Career, Community, Panel, Network, Networking, Career Path, Developing Your Skills, Computing, Career Development, Career Possibilities, Empowerment, Advice, #WESTevent, Grow, Academia, Clarity, Growth

“The returns are actually better when you invest in women,” says the movie Show Her The Money. If that’s so true, then why are women-founded startups only receiving 2% (or less) of invested venture capital dollars each year? Women innovators introduced the electric dishwasher, central gas heating, the medical syringe, bullet-proof fiber (Kevlar), and the list goes on. How much better could our world be if more women-founded startups were getting  equal investment funding?

Topics: Leadership, Panel, Women in STEM, Business, Inspiration, Gender Pay Gap, Compensation, Career Possibilities, Advocate, Diversity, #WESTevent, Women in Business, Life Science VC, Venture Capital/VC, Gender Parity, Conversations

In the ever-evolving landscape of our careers, women continue to break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and pave the way for future generations. The journey of a woman is often marked by three powerful principles: grit, growth, and gratitude. These tenets not only define our personal and professional journeys but also empower us to make significant contributions to the world of science and technology. These are the defining reasons WEST has selected Grit, Growth, Gratitude as our annual theme for 2024-2025. 

Topics: Announcements, Community, Annual Theme, Inspiration, Career Development, #WESTorg, Grit, Identity, Growth, Gratitude, Grit, Growth, Gratitude

Networking might be an introvert’s least favorite activity, but it doesn’t need to be! On August 8th, join WEST for Networking for Introverts: How To Effectively Connect. Led by introverts, for introverts, this event will include a panel discussion, interactive games, facilitated discussions, and open networking sessions that will make networking approachable to everyone.

Topics: Panel, Networking, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy, Challenges, Advice, #WESTevent, Personality, Introvert

Summer reads are one of the most popular book searches each year. WEST Leadership is making that search easy for you! Whether you're looking for an enthralling fiction book to take on a vacation with you or looking for something with some life lessons in it, we've got you covered! 

Topics: Leadership, Work Life Balance, Inspiration, Leading Ourselves, Board of Directors, Insight, Book Club

On Friday, July 12th, WEST will host its first Women in Leadership Bootcamp in partnership with Nucleate! We are excited to welcome several speakers for this day-long event that will cover a variety of topics for our attendees. These include: understanding your leadership style, embodying confidence, and unlocking your team’s potential. This bootcamp will train the next generation of biotech leaders to communicate, delegate, innovate, inspire, and provide clear goals and direction to their teams more effectively.

Topics: Leadership, Leader, #MemberSpotlight, Self-Awareness, Confidence, Personal Branding, Career Development, Inclusion, Self-Reflection, #WESTevent, Identity

We’ve all heard of the glass ceiling, but there’s an even deeper barrier that needs to be discussed. This hidden barrier, as Ellen Connelly Taaffe refers to it in her book, The Mirrored Door: Break Through the Hidden Barrier That Locks Successful Women in Place, is constructed from the well-intentioned norms that are ingrained in women’s minds and holding them back more than they realize.

Topics: Mentoring, Coaching, Mindfulness, Author Chat, Confidence, Book Club, Self-Reflection, #WESTevent, Purpose, Identity, STEM Women

WEST is thrilled to have such a diverse community of STEM professionals. We are honored to be able to highlight several leading STEM women as part of our Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration. You won’t want to miss this panel discussion featuring API trailblazers who will be sharing about their experiences, current positions, and advice they have for those of similar backgrounds with goals of making contributions through work in STEM industries. For a little preview, see our Q&A session with panelist Crystal Shih Byers below!

Topics: Leadership, STEM, Career, Panel, Culture, Industry, Role Models, Career Path, Inclusion, Diversity, #WESTevent, D&I, STEM Women

One of the pieces of feedback WEST has received lately is questions about becoming a better coach or mentor. WEST believes in the value of coaching and mentoring throughout one’s career and is thrilled to be hosting the upcoming event “Empowering YOU: How to Be a Great Coach or Mentor.” 

Topics: Events, Leadership, Career, Mentoring, Coaching, Influence, Developing Your Skills, Challenges, Career Development, Mentor, #WESTevent

In a society that often favors extroverted tendencies, being on the introverted end of the   spectrum can bring challenges in loud workplaces. Extroverted or introverted, we all have inspiration, passion, and great ideas within us. We work to create inclusive workplaces that support the success of each person on our team. With a few skills, being open-minded and truly aware of ourselves and those around us, we can create a team that allows each member to contribute their strengths and find success.

There are some misconceptions about introversion at work: that people who are more introverted can’t lead as effectively, are shy, and don’t like to work with others (are not team players). Despite these perspectives, introverted employees can absolutely excel in so many spaces using their strengths. The reality inside an introvert’s mind is thoughtful and methodical, tending to think deeply and critically about the work at hand. Like extraverts, introverts want their team to succeed, and may see the path to success differently. Their ability to truly immerse themselves in the information at hand, process their thoughts from many angles, and present suggestions and solutions that are well thought out is an incredible strength to any company. 

Topics: Leadership, Community, Confidence, Challenges, Career Development, Empowerment, #WESTevent, Corporate Culture, Identity, Introvert